There is, of course, no such thing as software without errors. Often referred to as "bugs", they are in all software you use, despite programmers' best efforts. Since it is in everyone's interest to eliminate as many bugs as possible, we follow (as many software developers do) the following basic scheme:

When we prepare a collection of bug fixes and minor improvements, we release them as a new version of Citavi. Before wide release, we first release it to "early adopters" as a beta version. Typically, several betas are released before one is selected as a release candidate. After being used successfully "in the wild" for a few weeks, the release candidate is widely released as a free update, which updates only minor digits in the version number.

By contrast, an upgrade is a major release that adds major new features. Before releasing an upgrade, we typically release several previews that each add a single major feature. Once all the major features have been added, the upgrade also enters a beta phase, again wrapping up with a release candidate which ultimately becomes the upgrade. This updates the major digit of the version number.

In summary:

PreviewAn early version to show new features as they are being developed, still early enough in the process to consider feedback regarding look and feel.

BetaA feature-complete version that may still contain bugs, but is stable enough to be used. The look and feel is already cemented in a beta.

Why risk it?If you need a specific bug fix or minor improvement that is only available in a beta yet, then using a beta might be right for you. A beta generally replaces your regular installation of Citavi, and it might have bugs that could endanger your data.

If you want to see the features that are coming in the next major upgrade to Citavi, you can try a preview, which will install alongside your existing version, so that you continue to use your existing version for everyday work, and just use the preview to satisfy your curiosity. Do not use a preview for work, as the chances that the file format may change (rendering your data inaccessible) is high.